


A Chance Encounter

by politicalmamaduck



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Pre-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Sabacc, Short One Shot, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/politicalmamaduck/pseuds/politicalmamaduck
Summary: Han Solo meets a Rebellion contact in a seedy cantina.
Relationships: Han Solo & Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	A Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Written for marablake on Tumblr! Her prompt was "A chance encounter - Thrawn and Han Solo." I hope you like this!

There was an organic being sitting in the cantina’s back corner booth, their back to the wall, of a species Han had never seen before. 

They looked like a Pantoran, but they obviously were not a Pantoran. Maybe a Pantoran with an eye condition, but what kind of eye condition would require specialized lenses to disguise the fact that their eyes were completely red?

The mysterious being couldn’t possibly be Han’s contact. Or could he be? The rest of the patrons were the usual suspects for a seedy cantina in the middle of nowhere, near the Unknown Regions. 

The Rebellion needed that intel. And Han needed to get as far away from the bounty hunter he and Leia had run into on Ord Mantell as possible before heading back to the base on Hoth. 

The sabacc table loomed. Even after all these years, Han could never resist a good sabacc game. Besides, it would help him steady his nerves while he waited for his contact to reveal themself. 

Han took a seat at the sabacc table and motioned for the dealer to deal him in. Maybe he’d even win something he could use to take that stubborn Princess out to dinner, if she ever left Hoth for somewhere civilized. 

He didn’t miss her. No, definitely not. He definitely didn’t wish that she were here by his side, cooly sizing up everyone in the room. They would have had to share a room at the equally seedy inn down the street. 

While playing the first round, he tried to keep his eye on the not-a-Pantoran in the corner without making it obvious that he was keeping his eye on them. The blue being had a drink in front of them, but they were definitely nursing it while keeping an eye on all the happenings in the cantina. 

Han noted there was definitely a Mandalorian bounty hunter in the corner to his right, who was neither eating nor drinking, but clearly waiting for someone to appear or something to happen. At least he wasn’t Boba Fett. Han didn’t recognize the armor; there was no visible signet. Han didn’t like his odds against true beskar armor, which at least the helmet clearly was.

Han had never believed in the Force, at least not until he met Luke, but he thought of his old friend Tsuulo, a true believer, and said a quick prayer while looking down at his cards. Hopefully the Mandalorian wasn’t here for him. Maybe the Mando’ was here for the blue alien. They had to be someone of substance, Han knew without a doubt. 

Han won his round of sabacc. His winnings were not too shabby, but not enough to treat the Princess to a fancy dinner with nerf steak and Corellian whiskey like he wanted. He’d put the money towards the Falcon and some provisions for Chewie. 

Han was getting up from the sabacc table and headed towards the bar for another drink when the blue being got up and approached him. They were tall, taller than a human would be, and walked with purpose. Former military, Han presumed. Based on the intel, this was an Imperial defector. Just like Han himself. Han was surprised, considering the Empire’s well-known xenophobia. They prefered non-humans as slaves, as he and Chewie knew all too well. 

“How is the weather on Corellia?” he asked. “Clear skies for racing?”

Han nodded. That was the code phrase. 

“Let me buy you a drink,” he said, gesturing back to the booth the blue fellow just vacated. They sat back down and waited for the serving droid to approach. 

“You can call me Keil Garris,” Han said. He hoped that alias hadn’t been busted yet. He used it on Corellia while working for Garris Shrike, so that fit his cover for the code phrase, at least. 

“You may call me Eli,” the being said. His voice was deep and polished, with the hint of an accent. 

“Where are you from, Eli?” Han asked, ever so slightly moving his head and eyes toward the Mandalorian in the opposite corner so that his companion would know they were being watched. 

“I hail from a planet few would recognize,” ‘Eli’ replied, nodding at the serving droid as it brought their drinks. “Certainly not one as famous as Corellia.”

Han nodded back, noting the subject change and deft non-answer, taking his own drink and tipping the droid. One never knew when being on a serving droid’s good side could be useful. 

“Lots of beings have heard of Corellia, but no one ever actually wants to go there,” Han said with a laugh. “I got off-planet as soon as I could and haven’t looked back.” His companion inclined his head, taking a sip of his drink. 

“You do not miss your home planet, then?” ‘Eli’ asked. 

Han shook his head. “Not at all. Do you?” 

“I do, on occasion,” ‘Eli’ replied. “It has been many years since I have seen my home.” 

“Business keeping you busy?” Han asked, trying to assess the contact as best he could. 

“You could say that,” he replied. “I understand you’re looking to make a purchase, as it were.”

Han sighed inwardly. ‘Eli’ clearly wanted to get the transaction done and over with, but Han was curious about him. 

“That’s true,” Han replied, casually shrugging and taking another sip from his drink. “If the merchandise is what it’s reputed to be.” 

The stranger in front of him allegedly had a datacube full of Imperial supply lines and inventories that he swiped before defecting. Something about the aftermath of the Death Star’s destruction and the drama in the Imperial upper ranks, as Han understood it, caused their contact to defect. He knew the Imps were still recovering from the Death Star, even three years later. He could imagine the petty squabbling as various Moffs and Admirals fought for control. It was something the Rebellion had been using to its advantage over the past few years. But Vader was reinserting himself and hounding them personally, searching tirelessly for Luke. He wanted revenge for the Death Star, and showed no signs of stopping until he had Luke in custody. 

Han, Leia, and Chewie would do anything to prevent that. Including risking their necks on covert missions like this and Ord Mantell. 

‘Eli’ reached into his cloak, then pushed the datacube across the table. “It’s yours. Please transfer the payment accordingly.” 

Han got out his comlink, placing it on the table in front of him, and pressed the button to allow the pre-set transfer of funds. He hoped the intel would be worth the price the Rebellion was paying. It certainly would have gone a long way toward paying off the price on his head. 

“Pleasure doing business with you, Eli,” Han said, reaching over to shake hands, when the Mandalorian in the corner suddenly stood up. 

A Rodian had entered the cantina, and was exchanging words with another human in the southeast corner. The Mando’ headed straight for the squabbling pair, which caused the Rodian to fire his blaster. Sure enough, the beskar absorbed the shot, and then the Rodian slumped over, a hole in his chest where the Mandalorian had fired. The human appeared stunned, even more so after he was wrapped in a durasteel wire fired by the Mandalorian, who then dragged his bounty out of the cantina. 

Han breathed a sigh of relief. The Mandalorian hadn’t been there for him after all. ‘Eli’’s eyes narrowed while watching the scene. Han assumed he had a bounty on his head, too. 

“A pleasure doing business with you too, Keil,” he said, then pulled his hood down towards his eyes and swept out of the cantina. 

Han finished the rest of his drink, then left the cantina to face the night and whatever would come next. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please do leave a comment with your thoughts and come chat with me on Tumblr and Twitter!


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